These Are a Few of My Favorite Reads

What are some of your all-time favorite books?

Most of my family and friends who know me well know I have a little problem…yes, it’s true. I am a self-confessed bibliophile! I love books, and often could be quoted saying to my kids while raising them, “Books are our friends. Treat them well and spend time with them”.

Because I do love reading as one of the great pleasures in my life, I am often asked what my favorite books are. This can be really hard for someone who reads as much as me to narrow down, but here are 10 that have really stood out over time, and titles I have returned to time and time again. Hope this inspires you and I’d love to hear your favorites too!

1) Mindset by Carol Dweck- Dweck reveals what all great parents, teachers, CEOs, and athletes already know: how a simple idea about the brain can create a love of learning and a resilience that is the basis of great accomplishment in every area. This was the book that first introduced me to the power of thoughts in our path to success in relationships, career and life in general. There are a lot of things to learn from this book. With the right mindset, you can be better equipped to lead, love, and teach and even transform other people’s lives!

(2) The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino- Often, there are people we look up to as we wonder how we could ever live up to their achievements. However, Og Mandino fully believes that anyone, no matter where they come from, is capable of rising as far as they desire to go. The Greatest Salesman in the World presents a series of principles, laws, and fundamental truths in such a way that they are easily understood and able to be implemented into daily life. Mandino uses a simple story of a boy with the most unlikely of circumstances to explain the importance and effect of nine simple concepts. Once applied, no mountain will be too high and no river will be too wide for the person who masters all of these concepts.

3) The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman- This book was probably the one that most profoundly helped shape my relationship with my spouse, my children and my friends. Whether your relationships are flourishing or floundering, Chapman’s proven approach to showing and receiving love will help you experience deeper and richer levels of intimacy with your partner—starting today. It is both a highly insightful yet practical guide.

4) Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers- This is the only fiction novel on my list, however I have found that great truths are often better communicated to me through characters in a story. In this case, God’s relentless love struck me in a fresh way, and the tears flowed as I thanked Jesus for loving me more than any man ever will. Redeeming Love is based on the true Old Testament book of Hosea, and it’s an incredible story that will stay with you for years to come. (Warning: there are some graphic scenes that may be inappropriate for young children, so please read it before giving it to your daughters.)

5) Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill- Many people think that money is evil and being poor will make you a better person. Nothing can be farther from the truth. God wants to bless us and He wants to give us abundant life. As long as we have the right motive and we do our part, God is more than willing to provide not just our needs but also our wants. The mindset principles in this timeless classic book can easily be applied to other areas of life, including relationships, education and career. It teaches you how to treat other people right, see things in a positive light, and become a better person overall.

6) Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend- This book was one of the largest influences on a person (me) who lived with the negative ramifications of co-dependence and people pleasing. With very practical applications for life, these authors helped on the road to freedom without fear of letting other down in the process of being a healthy individual. The best thing about this book is that it is filled with truthful insights. Through the pages of the Bible, you will glean how to establish godly boundaries with your friends, co-workers, children, parents, and spouse.

7) Patient, Heal Thyself by Jordan Rubin- At the age of 19, Rubin was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a supposedly incurable digestive ailment. In one of the most dramatic natural healing stories ever told, Jordan discovered a natural path to complete healing and sustained health. In his book, now Naturopathic doctor, Rubin shares his monumental discoveries, teaching you how to take control of your own health and unlock your body’s phenomenal healing potential. This was the book that originally helped me start on the wellness path for my own body’s miraculous healing!

8) Dancing With My Father by Sally Clarkson- As a wife and mother, rather than dragging through countless days, Clarkson wanted to know the delight of God's presence. She began prayerfully exploring how to cultivate deep-rooted joy even in the midst of difficult seasons. In her book, she invites you to experience for yourself what happens when you trust God to lead you into a life of anticipation, passion, and purpose. The stories she shares touched my own heart and will certainly reflect every Christian woman's deepest longings. In the hardest days as a mom, this was a reminder that I could truly live in beauty and grace, joy and peace.

9) Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer- This book probably helped me more than all the years I spent in therapy combined! In her Biblically based and practical guide, Meyer gracefully teaches how to deal with the thousands of thoughts (many negative) that we think every day and how to focus the mind the way God thinks. This book works from the internal, starting with the heart and then works it’s way outward on how we can choose to live a victorious life in Christ. It is brimming with hope. It accomplishes it’s purpose— giving Christians real strategies on how to overcome negativity.

10) The Bible - Lastly, and certainly the most lasting influence on my life is the books of both the Old and New Testament. What started as favorite stories with life lessons as a child in Sunday school developed into a search for religious identity and then evolved into truer search and discovery for a relationship with my creator. In the Bible, I have come to love the story of God’s relentless pursuit of humans, including me, through his overarching theme of love throughout his Word. It is a story that transcends culture, gender, age, race and time and is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.